Turn-table



(No Model.)

C..A. SHANK'.

TUR-N TABLE.

No. 495,434. Patented Apr'. 11, 1893.

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WVITNESSES ,mi sums Pneus co, pHoro-uma. WASHINGTON. D. c.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. SHANK, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

TURN-TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 495,434, dated April 11, 1893.

Application filed April 28, 1892.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. SHANK, a

citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented anew and useful Automatic Turn-Table, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates. to that kind of railroad appliances used for turning locomotives or cars, and the object of my invention is to furnish such a turntable as will act automatically when the locomotive or car to be turned is placed thereon, and to furnish certain accessory appliances connected therewith for regulating the action of the't'able. By means 'of my said invention a locomotive or car can be turned with great ease and saving of labor, and without increase in the cost of the turntable over those now in use.

The turntables now in general use consist of a circular pit, with a rail or rails running around the bottom thereof, near the circumference and having in the center a pivot, on which is hung or otherwise arranged a structure' of wood or iron, so adjusted as to turn thereon, and with a track on the upper side or deck thereof on which the locomotive may run, and with wheels under each end of this structure to run en the circular track on the bottom of the pit. At convenient points around the pit are arranged tracks leading to the main track, sidings or the round house as may be desired. In such a table as usually constructed it is necessary to keep the bearing parts carefully oiled and the circular track in the pit level and in good order or the labor of turning the table becomes very great. Such tables are usually turned by hand power applied near the ends thereof by handles or otherwise, and unless the parts are carefully adjusted the labor is seriously increased, especially that of turning the large engines now coming into general use. It is also necessary to place the locomotive as nearly in the center as possible, so as to adjust the weight as nearly as possible upon all the supports of the table.

By Iny invention,while using to a large extent the appliances already known, l have so modified certain of the elements thereof as to enable the weight of the locomotive or car to act as the motive power to turn the table to Serial No. 431.005. (No model.)

any desired point. l found that unless the weight of the locomotive or car was carefully adj usted on the table, the whole of said weight rested on the central support and on the Wheels under one end of the table only. I then saw that if the said weight were so adjusted as to fall more fully on said central support and on the wheels under only one end of the table, and the track on the bottom of the pit was so arranged as to be graded or inclined sufficiently, thev Wheels under the weighted end of the table-.would tend to run down the incline or grade of the circular track below, and so turn said table and the object thereon, Without calling in any otherpower, as the wheels would of themselves seek the lower level, and the other end of the table being slightly raised, by the adjustment of the weight, would offer no resistance to the turning, as Vits wheels would not touch the circular rail'at all. It remained then only necessaryto work out the details of arrangement to make my invention practical.

The substance, general scope and idea of the invention, being as above stated, the grading of the circular trackpon which the wheels under the ends of the turntable run, sufficient play at the central pivot and shifting the weight Aof the object to be turned to the end over the higher point of the rail below,lnow describe the invention in the form into which l prefer to cast it, and some accessories thereto, useful to accomplish more completely and satisfactorily the work that I intend shall be done by my said invention and contrivance.

The pit in which the table turns may be made in the usual manner, and being circlilar is approached at as many points as may be desired by tracks leading to the main v track,sidings or round house, and the several stalls therein. The main structure of the turntable itself does not differ greatly from those in common use, except in the slightly greater play given at the pivot, and in that the wheels under the ends of the/table are arranged so that only those under one end can touch the circular rail in the bottom of the pit at the same time. lt may be made of wood or iron, and on its top or deck there is the usual track for a car or locomotive. It should be made of greater length than that of the longest car orlocomotive desired to be turned IOO thereon, and in such a manner that in no case `Ashall the whole weight of the object to be turned on it necessarily be poised equally on the center thereof. Under each end of said table wheels are arranged, by any suitable gearing to run on the circular track on the bottom' of the pit, but in such a manner that only the wheel or wheels under one end can touch said track at one time. This may easily be accomplished by having the table when unweighted revolve or han g on the pivot alone.

The circular track on the bottom of the pit is preferably a single rail, and may be laid on ties or stringers in any approved manner, but this track is to be so laid or constructed that the upper surface or top of the rail is to be at some point in the circle higher than at any other point, and so that said rail shall gradually descend from said highest point both ways to a lowest point opposite thereto. In other words the top of said rail or rails may be conceived to be in a single plane, which plane has one side or end at a higher level than the other. Assuming for example a pit having a circular track laid therein of a diameter of twenty four feet, a gradual descent from the highest point therein of one foot both to right and to left of said highest point to the lowest p'oint opposite would be sufficient to accomplish the objects had in View in myinvention. This grade in the said circular track can be' accomplished easily by a graded difference in thickness of the ties on which it is laid from said highest point, to the lowest point opposite, or by grading the bottom of the pit, or the thickness of the rail or in any other convenient manner. As a result of this inclined or graded circular track on the bottom of the pit, the track on the top or deck of said table will vary somewhat in height at different points of the circumference of said pit, and to meet this variance in level, the several converging tracks are arranged to come to the edge of the pit at heights to correspond with that of the table at each respective point. The table is also so hung or pivoted that a slight weight on either end will bring'the wheels under that end down upon the rails of .the circular track below, and the track on the deck thereof to a level with the track coming to the edge of the At convenient pit to meet it at that point. points in the wall of said pit I construct an opening or hollow into which a brake, worked from the table as hereinafter described, can be inserted to stop and hold said table at any of the tracks coming to the edge of the pit. This opening or depression in the wall may be best constructed in the following manner: One side thereof, constituting the shoulder to stop and hold said brake, is made stra-ight. This side or shoulder may be described as a plane substantially perpendicular to a tangent drawn to the circular wall of the pit at the point of departure of said straight side, and running to the extreme depth of the said opening or depression. From the foot of this perpendicular or straight side, which is at the extreme depth of said opening or depression, the bottom thereof gradually decreases in depth until it reaches the circumference of said circular Wall.v In other words the bottom or inclined side of the opening or depression makes an acute angle with a tangent drawn to said wall at the point of departure of the bottom of said opening or depression. By this method of construction the brake will run easily into said opening or depression on the inclined or sloping bottom thereofand enter to the extreme length and depth thereof, and coming against the shoulder or straight side thereof, be stopped thereby and so hold the table. The opening or depression is made of sufficient width to permit the brake to easily slip therein, and of sufficient depth to make the straight or perpendicular side thereof a sufticient obstacle to effect the stoppage of the said brake and the holding of said table. As it is intended also that the said turntable shall work either Way, in either direction, such openings or depressions are made in duplicate each set of two facing in opposite directions. I may also accomplish the same result by using projections on the face of said wall to catch and hold such brakes, instead of the groove like depressions with straight sides as above described.

Upon the turntable itself, and at two or more points convenient to the calo of a locomotive, when standing on said table in either position, I construct a brake worked on the general principles of a lever. I prefer to make these in duplicate, one on each side of the table and to work at opposite ends thereof. By the use of long handles thereto, I obtain the advantage of greater power, and also enable the engineer or brakeman to reach them without leaving the cab. These handles or levers are attached near their lower ends to the table by a bolt in such a manner as to have the bolt act as the fulcrum of the lever appliance, and so that the handle may be worked to and fro on said fulcrum. Instead of a bolt any other method of arranging saidfulcrutn may beadopted. Below the fulcrum the lever or handles are attached in any satisfac- IOO ITO

tory manner toa sliding bar, which acts as the brake. This bar is moved forward and back by the lever motion of the said handle. The end thereof is so fashioned as to enter the openings or depressions in the Walls of the pit and hold against the straight side of such openings. They may be also used as brakes against the walls of the pit to regulate the speed of the table when turning. For this purpose I prefer .to make the sliding bar of the brake in this manner: It is attached at one end to the lever or handle of the brake in any suitable manner, and is held up in place by means of a support or bracket, connected with the main structure of the table.' Y

The object of this is to prevent the tearing to` pieces of the wall by the forked ends of the bar, when the brake is used to regulate the motion of the table by pressing the end of the brake against the wall. The object of the sliding sockets is to allow the wheel to be pressed back againstthe junction between the two prongs and so impede the turning of the wheel and act as a brake thereon, and through that on the motion of the table. By means of this form of construction also and that of the grooved openings in the wall,

above described, the Wheel at the end of the brake bar will run easily into the sloping en-l trance of the opening, or out of the same, in case the motion of the table is reversed.

It is convenient'in the arrangement of the graded circular track `on the bottom of the pit to fix the highest point thereon opposite the point where the track rconnecting with the main track comes to meetthe table. Most of the locomotives come upon the table for the purpose of being turned and 'then going out on the main track again, and by this arrangement they can run on said table, throw the weight on the highest point of the circular track and the table will turn of itself to the lowest point of the track andthe locomotive be ready to start ont again with its other end foremost. It is not an essential feature of my invention that said turntable be made over a pit, though this is the usual and preferable method of construction, but the inclined or graded circular track may be laid on the ground, and the converging trackscoming to meet the table may be led thereto on any elevated structure, grading each to strike .the proper level of the ktable at that point,

and stops for the brakes may be arranged by posts or in any other approved method.

In putting my inventioninto practical use, I will suppose a locomotive coming from the main track, desiring to go upon one of the other tracks converging at the table. The empty table, if not in position is turned to the proper point, and the locomotive enters and runs far enough thereon to throw the weight on the end of the table over the highest point of the circular track beneath, the brakes are loosened and the table turns of its own accord until the weighted end is over the lowest point of the circular track below. If the table arrive at the desired track before the said lowest point on said circular track is reached, the brake is put on to stop and hold the table at the proper point. If the desired track is beyond the lowest point of the said circular track, the weight is shifted to the other end of the table and the motion is continued to the required point. By means of the duplicate brakes and the fact that said trackis graded both ways from said highest point to the lowest point thereof, and by means of having duplicate brake holes or depressions in the wall, facing in oppositedirections, the motion can be had in either direction, and stopped at the desired point which ever way the table turns, and in this method also the locomotive can be turned so as to Vleave the table eitherend foremost. If the object is simply to turn the engine around, and the entering track is at either the highest or lowest point on the circular track below, 'the turning may be accomplished by a sin gle motion, otherwise by shifting the weight as above described. The engine maybe held in place on the table by blocks or other device.

The foregoing description of my invention may also be studied more in detail by an eX- amination of the accompanying drawings, in each figure whereof similar letters are used to designatelike parts.

Figure 1. is a top View of aturntable, showing tracks coming thereto, the circular track on which the wheels under the ends thereof run, and the brakes and grooves in the wall to stop and hold such a table. Fig. 2 is a cross section of such a table and its pit, and of the graded circular track on the bottom of such pit, and showing also the brake attachment and groove in the wall to hold said brake. In this figure the main features of my invention, to-wit, the grading of the circular track, and the support of said table on only one end of the same and on the central pivot, are brought into prominence, one side of said circular track being appreciably higher than the other, andthe wheel under one end of said table being shown not to rest on the track below. The line of the cross section shown in this' figure is designated in Fig. l. by the dotted line, partially broken, between the small figures l. 1. to which the arrows Apoint on said Fig. 1. Fig. 3. shows across section of three tracks approaching the turntable, and brings out the difference in level, with which they come to meet the track on said table. The line of this cross section is also designated on Fig. l. by the dotted line between the small gures 2. 2. to which the arrows point on said Fig. l. Fig. 4. is a plan view of the end of the sliding bar of the brake, showing the wheel thereinand its axle, and the sliding socket'in one of the forks or prongs at the end of said bar. l A. represents a track approaching said table, and in the arrangement preferred by me would be thatone leadingfrom the main track. B. is the track upon the top or deck of such a turntable. C. C. and C2. are three tracks approaching said turntable, and coming from stalls in the roundhous'e, sidings or other dii rcction.

D.D.represent the circular track on which the wheels under the ends of the turntable thickness of the ties under said rail. In these iigures the said circular rail is shown as broader than the Wheels J. J. intended to run thereon, but this is nota feature of my invention, as I do not confine myself to any particular form of the said circular rail, but only require that the same be constructed in such Ya manner that it is graded each wayfrom the will-be noticed in both Figs. l. and 2. that as drawn these are two in number, one on each side of said table, and it appears clearly from Fig. 2, that each faces in an opposite direction. In this connection we notice also the two small letters, g and g. Of these g. is the fulcruni on which the said lever or handle -of the brake works, and is conveniently a round bolt attached to the main structure of y the said table, and g. is the joint between `II. H. represent said sliding bars.

Said lever or handle of said brake and the sliding bar, II. This in its turn may be a round bolt passing through both bars, and riveted or secured bya nut in such a manner as not to interfere with the play of the parts. These are seen in duplicate in Fig. l. and on opposite sides of said table and working in opposite directions. And in this connection we note the bracket h. (Fig. 2) which is attached to the main structure of the table to hold said bar and support the same in place. The'opening in the wall into which the brake is thrust, for the purpose of stopping and holding the said table is shown at e. and the peculiar form finto which I prefer to cast the ends of said brakes is shown specially in Fig. 4. and therein, as also in Figs. l. and 2. the wheel at the end of said brake, is designated by h. Also in said Fig. 4. we note one of the two prongs at the end of said sliding bar, designated by the letter h2. and the sliding socket, shown at h3. and the extremity of the fixed axle of said Wheel shown at h4. In Fig. l. the peculiar shape of the groove c also appears.

I. I. show the gearings or brackets to hold the wheels J. J. which are to run on the cir- L. is a bearing cover orcasting resting on the ball pivot K.

M. M. show ties under the circular track..

The varying thickness of these ties is clearly shown in Fig. 2, the tie under that part of said circular track nearest the track C. being appreciably thicker than that under that part of the said circular track nearest the track A. As said track A. is supposed to be that track leading to the main railroad line, the lowest pointin said circular track is shown as contiguous to the said track A. showing the arrangement as preferably made, for the turning of locomotives coming from the main track to be turned and then to return thereto.

O. O. represent ties under the track on the top or deck of the table.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire'to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

l. The combination of a graded or inclined circular track, having the highest point in said track opposite the lowest point in said track, and the incline extending from said highest point to said lowest point both ways, with a turntable, pivoted in the center so that only the wheel or Wheels under one end thereof can touch the circular rail below at once, substantially as described.

2. The combination of aturntable, pivoted in the center so that a slight Weighton either end will bring the wheels under that end upon the graded circular track beneath, with a graded circular track on which `said wheels under the ends thereof run, substantially as described and for the purposes above set forth.

Dated Albany, New York, April 25, 1892.

CHARLES A. SHANK.

Witnesses:

EDWIN G. DAY, EDWARD W. RANKIN. 

